# Immunomodulatory drugs (IMiDs) and CELMoDs

Source: https://onco.cc/terms/imid/  
OnCo record `imid` (Term). Data CC BY-NC 4.0, attribute "Data from OnCo (onco.cc)"; commercial use needs a licence.

## TL;DR

Thalidomide and its descendants lenalidomide and pomalidomide, which hijack a cellular waste-disposal tag (cereblon) to destroy two proteins myeloma cells depend on, while also revving up T and NK cells. CELMoDs such as iberdomide and mezigdomide bind cereblon more tightly and work after lenalidomide fails; clots, low blood counts and birth defects are class risks.

## Summary

Thalidomide's return from the 1960s disaster as a myeloma drug (1999) and the discovery that it acts as a molecular glue degrader of IKZF1/3 via cereblon founded the whole field of targeted protein degradation. Lenalidomide is in nearly every myeloma induction and maintenance regimen and treats del(5q) MDS and some lymphomas; pomalidomide follows lenalidomide failure. CELMoDs (iberdomide, mezigdomide) bind cereblon more tightly and are active in lenalidomide-refractory disease (EXCALIBER). Class effects are cytopenias, thrombosis (prophylaxis required), rash, and secondary cancers; teratogenicity mandates pregnancy-prevention programmes.

## Fields

- Kind: Term
- Last checked: 2026-09-09
- Also known as: IMiD; IMiDs; immunomodulatory drugs; immunomodulatory agents; immunomodulatory imide drugs; CELMoD; CELMoDs; cereblon modulators; cereblon E3 ligase modulators; IKZF1/3 degradation; cereblon modulator; immunomodulatory drug

## Sources

- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immunomodulatory_imide_drug
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immunomodulatory_imide_drug

## Connected records

- terms: [Proteasome inhibitor (bortezomib, carfilzomib, ixazomib)](https://onco.cc/terms/proteasome-inhibitor/), [Venous thromboembolism (VTE)](https://onco.cc/terms/vte/), [VRd and Dara-VRd (myeloma induction regimens)](https://onco.cc/terms/vrd/)
- cancers: [Multiple myeloma](https://onco.cc/cancers/multiple-myeloma/), [Myelodysplastic syndromes / neoplasms (MDS)](https://onco.cc/cancers/mds/), [Newly diagnosed multiple myeloma, transplant-eligible](https://onco.cc/cancers/myeloma-transplant-eligible/), [Newly diagnosed multiple myeloma, transplant-ineligible](https://onco.cc/cancers/myeloma-transplant-ineligible/), [Relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma](https://onco.cc/cancers/myeloma-relapsed-refractory/)
- fronts: [Targeted Therapy](https://onco.cc/fronts/targeted-therapy/)
- technologies: [Molecular glue discovery platforms](https://onco.cc/technologies/molecular-glue-platforms/), [PROTACs & molecular glues (targeted protein degradation)](https://onco.cc/technologies/protac-degrader/)
- drugs: [Lenalidomide](https://onco.cc/drugs/lenalidomide/), [Pomalidomide](https://onco.cc/drugs/pomalidomide/), [Thalidomide](https://onco.cc/drugs/thalidomide/)

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